Chen Xia quickly replied:
"My aunt definitely wants to buy a siheyuan with its own entrance and courtyard. She won't consider a large courtyard. As long as the courtyard is big enough, price is not a problem. She can pay in RMB or foreign currency."
Deputy Minister Zou suddenly chuckled and said, "What a coincidence! Our Ministry of Health's old office, a courtyard house in Houhai, is now vacant. I wonder if Manager Chen is interested?"
The situation across the country is generally similar. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, a large number of "ownerless houses" were confiscated and turned into office space for major government agencies.
At that time, everything was in ruins and the country didn't have much money. Fortunately, there were few staff members in each unit, so they could squeeze in.
Later, as the number of staff increased, the old office space could no longer meet the daily work needs. Some major ministries gradually moved out of the old courtyard houses and built new office spaces elsewhere.
Just like Meiyuan was the former office building of Keqiao District, and Xiyuan was the activity center of the Veteran Cadre Bureau.
The old office of the Ministry of Health is located on the shore of Houhai Lake, next to the "home of Song Guomu". There is a courtyard house there that is still vacant.
Buying and selling houses is not popular these days. Besides, can a courtyard that can accommodate a ministry be an ordinary small courtyard house?
However, the houses of ministries and commissions are not available to anyone who wants to buy them. They are basically not for sale, even if they go bankrupt.
However, Chen Xia's last sentence about using foreign exchange for payment moved Vice Minister Zou. Others might not know how tight the country's foreign exchange shortage is now, but how could leaders like them not know?
He had an idea.
At this time, let alone factories and mines, even if the Ministry of Health wanted to go abroad for inspection or attend a meeting, it had to first apply to the central government for foreign exchange quota.
The central government only approved a very small amount, really a very small amount. At that time, when cadres went abroad for inspection, they all traveled in economy cabins, stayed in small hotels, and ate sandwiches. They were really very frugal.
The reason for coming and going is that there is no foreign exchange.
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